


We can just be.

by Ritt-12 (daniels)



Category: Destiny (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, fluffy stuff featuring tefa-3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 02:07:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12901677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daniels/pseuds/Ritt-12
Summary: Banshee-44 needs a hug.





	We can just be.

**Author's Note:**

> Just getting back into writing -- sorry if this is a little clunky! I wanted to explore Banshee-44's character a little bit and honestly? With 44 reboots behind him, he just sounds like he needs a hug.

The annoyance in the gunsmith's gaze was sharp as he regarded the other Exo. Most were too timid or respectful to comment on his reboot number, but every once in a while he'd get a curious Guardian that was so kind as to interrupt him to inquire about it.   
It was one of those days.

"Thought you were here to pick up a weapon, not pick at my personal life. But, for the record, yes. I'm fairly certain that's it."

"..I'm so sorry." Tefa's gaze refuses to waver, bright white eyes locked on Banshee's blues. "Honestly. ..But hey, by all means, continue. I apologize for the interruption."

Some of the Guardian's flippant attitude seemed to melt away. Expected, but no less appreciated. At least the transaction went smoothly enough after that.

Until it was over, anyway.

"Sweet, thanks." Tefa tested the weight of his new gun, turning it over in his hands. Satisfied, it was transmatted.. well. Wherever Ghost sent it to. Tefa tried not to think too hard about that. 

There's a brief pause, a subtle hesitation. "Come down to the bar tonight. Fireteam's heading there once we're done with patrol."

It's a command as much as it is a question; Banshee just shrugs. Before he can utter a proper reply, though, the hunter's already transmatted out of Tower. ..Typical hunter fashion, he muses to himself, optics returning to the gun at his hands.

\---

It.. didn't look like Banshee was going to show.

The patrol had long since concluded, the celebration quickly dying down. It's not like he'd actually expected the Gunsmith to show up (seriously, did he ever leave his little shop?), but it was vaguely disheartening nonetheless.

With a sigh, Tefa pushed himself forward on the couch to retrieve his drink. Oh, well. They'd had a good night of fun without him, it was no big deal. 

"..Guardian."

The formal greeting came in that deep voice that Tefa recognized immediately. He hadn't even heard the footsteps approaching over the music and his own thoughts. Well, how about that.

"Tefa's fine. And here I thought you were standing me up," he joked, scooting himself over before waving to the bartender. "Come on, then, join me. Rest of the team up and left already."

"Apologies. Work kept me." A lie, Tefa could tell, but he'd let it slide. With a shrug, he motions to the round the barkeep set on the table.   
Banshee, then seated, gave the glasses a blank stare. "Haven't drank in a while. 35? 36? Something."

"That a long time?"

"Not sure."

Tefa gives a slight nod in understanding. He's only the third, but.. he knows the feeling. Time between reboots doesn't make a whole lot of sense -- even the three were hard to grasp sometimes. Banshee's number is close to unfathomable.

The silence seems to stretch between the two of them, and the Guardian takes an awkward sip of his drink.

"..You work real hard for these guys, huh?"

"These guys?" Bright blues pull back to focus on Tefa. "..I suppose. Can't stop fighting."

"Yeah.. I know how that is." He offers the gunsmith a sympathetic glance. "I'm sure everyone appreciates it. I sure do. Questing Beast was a hell of a force out on patrol today."

It doesn't seem to register at first. Banshee blinks once, twice, before responding with a well thought-out, "huh," that Tefa can't help but chuckle at. "You're. Welcome? It's what I can offer. Can't fight frontline anymore. Not.. equipped like you folks. Might not come back if I go down again."

There's a heavy truth in Banshee's words that has Tefa looking down into his drink. He'd likely live forever with his Ghost by his side. Banshee.. wasn't as lucky. He was a civilian, and that wasn't likely to change.

"Still. You're out here at 44; I knew some guys that gave up way lower than that. Takes some determination to keep going like this."

Another heavy stillness falls between them.

"..Why did you invite me? Here?" Banshee finally quips, glancing down at the drink he'd gathered into his hands.

"Oh, uh. Easy. You're always up there working, figured you don't get a chance to kick back very often. You seem like a nice guy, too."

"That's.. kind of you."

"I do my best."

Another pause.

"I appreciate the drink. Don't. Hate me if I don't remember. Part of.. this. Cluttered. Messy."

"No need to worry about the then, we can just be now. Y'know?" If Tefa could smile properly, he would.

"Kind of you. Kind of you.."

Tefa inclined his head, taking another sip of his drink.

\--

Banshee relaxed into the almost-human touch, the bits of his psionic form piecing themselves together. Slowly, slowly.   
It'd been ages since he'd felt the warmth of another Exo like this -- since he'd had his head straight enough to muster up this headspace, or the trust to allow someone to coax him into such a vulnerable state -- but the drink he'd been nursing was stronger than he realized (or so he'd state), and honestly? It just felt nice.

How many wipes had it been, now?   
Hell if he knew. Hell if he cared.

Tefa's light was.. different. A good different. Something about it was so much softer than Banshee had known in his past. It was unlike a Hunter to have such a calm psyche, let alone one that radiated such warmth.

..He'd cry, if he could.

With things the way they were, though, the best Banshee could do was curl into Tefa's touch, placing his hands carefully over the ones already on his cheeks. Perhaps Tefa could feel how badly the gunsmith needed this, needed the physical and meta-physical affirmation to help him get just a little more grounded. Perhaps it was obvious in the way his psionic form wavered and glitched, as though it was unsure of what it was supposed to be.

They could just.. be right now, in Tefa's words. And Banshee was more than content with that.


End file.
